Forget balancing your plate—these 31 smoker recipes don’t leave much room for anything else. They’re the kind of meals that make you wonder why you ever spent time on baked beans or rolls. Every bite brings serious smoke and firepower, and they come off the grill ready to be the entire event. By the time the fork hits the plate, you’ll be wishing sides were optional—and with these recipes, they basically are.
Pork Stuffed Smoked Jalapeno Poppers
These are technically appetizers, but they’ve got enough smoke and punch to take over the whole meal. Pork Stuffed Smoked Jalapeno Poppers show up swinging, and nobody’s mad about it. They land somewhere between snack and main course, which is fine because no one’s saving room for anything else anyway. Sides just become plate fillers when these are around. It’s a meal in disguise, wrapped up in heat and smoke that refuses to sit quietly.
Get the Recipe: Pork Stuffed Smoked Jalapeno Poppers
Smoked Dill Pickle Wings
There’s nothing subtle about what these wings bring to the table, and they don’t need backup from anything green or buttered. Smoked Dill Pickle Wings are built to hold attention, from the first bite to the last bone. If you’re used to wings being a snack, these shift the conversation to full-on dinner. Every batch disappears like it owes someone money, and nobody’s reaching for a side salad in between. Just meat, smoke, and a reason to skip every other thing on your plate.
Get the Recipe: Smoked Dill Pickle Wings
The Backyard Table
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Buy Now!Smoked Chicken Tortilla Soup
This isn’t the kind of soup that waits politely for toppings and crackers to make it interesting. Smoked Chicken Tortilla Soup hits hard with smoke and body right out of the gate. Every spoonful feels like a full meal, not a warm-up or side dish. It’s the kind of bowl that makes other courses unnecessary. You’ll finish it and wonder why you bothered making anything else.
Get the Recipe: Smoked Chicken Tortilla Soup
Smoked Pork Shots
There’s no reason to serve anything else when these hit the table. Smoked Pork Shots are small, sure, but they bring enough flavor to punch well above their weight. Every bite is loud, smoky, and impossible to ignore. They’re the kind of food people eat first and ask about later. Plates start emptying, and nobody’s looking around for beans or bread.
Get the Recipe: Smoked Pork Shots
Smoked Lil Smokies
These may look small, but they come packed with enough flavor to outshine everything else on the plate. Smoked Lil Smokies are the kind of bite-sized trouble that make people forget there was supposed to be a main course. You serve them for fun, but they end up stealing the whole show. Sides? Nobody remembers bringing them. They’re gone before anyone grabs a fork.
Get the Recipe: Smoked Lil Smokies
Smoked Chicken Al Pastor
Most dinners need a little help from sides to feel complete. Smoked Chicken Al Pastor doesn’t have that problem. It brings enough bold flavor to carry the meal without needing a single thing next to it. Every bite is a reminder that smoke and heat do more than just add flavor—they make everything else optional. Serve it solo, and no one will ask where the rice went.
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Smoked Brisket Chili
This isn’t your usual chili that leans on crackers and cornbread to pull it together. Smoked Brisket Chili takes over the bowl and tells every other part of the meal to take the night off. It’s thick, smoky, and rich enough to qualify as a full event. Sides don’t just feel unnecessary—they feel like a distraction. You could try serving bread with it, but it’ll just get ignored.
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Smoked Ribeye Roast
The moment this hits the plate, nothing else matters—not the rolls, not the salad, not even the sauce. Smoked Ribeye Roast takes over dinner and makes every other item on the table feel like background noise. It’s the kind of dish that commands attention without saying a word. There’s no polite way to describe how fast people skip the sides when this shows up. Just smoky meat, perfectly done, and zero room for compromise.
Get the Recipe: Smoked Ribeye Roast
Smoked Shrimp
These don’t wait around for rice or pasta—they run the show. Smoked Shrimp brings just enough heat and char to make every bite feel like the reason you fired up the smoker in the first place. It’s fast, bold, and doesn’t share the spotlight well. If you’re still trying to pair it with something on the side, you’re missing the point. Nothing else on the plate pulls the same weight.
Get the Recipe: Smoked Shrimp
Grilled Smoked Turkey Breast
Turkey usually plays nice with mashed potatoes and stuffing, but not here. Grilled Smoked Turkey Breast goes solo, and honestly, it’s better that way. It’s juicy, smoky, and strong enough to carry the whole meal without help. The sides are still there, but mostly out of habit. This bird makes the argument for simplicity—and wins.
Get the Recipe: Grilled Smoked Turkey Breast
Spicy Smoked Chex Mix
You could set this out as a snack, but it might just steal the whole evening. Spicy Smoked Chex Mix doesn’t sit quietly in a bowl—it brings smoke, crunch, and a bit of fire that makes dinner feel like a warm-up act. People won’t ask what’s for dinner when they’re still grabbing handfuls of this. It turns a side idea into the main event without even trying. There’s nothing casual about how fast it disappears.
Get the Recipe: Spicy Smoked Chex Mix
Smoked Shotgun Shells
These show up looking like appetizers but leave no room for anything else. Smoked Shotgun Shells go from snack to spotlight in about three bites. Everyone leans in when they’re served, and suddenly nobody’s asking about what else is coming. It’s dinner disguised as finger food, and that’s the fun of it. You’ll regret not making more.
Get the Recipe: Smoked Shotgun Shells
Smoked Lamb Chops
These chops don’t play well with sides—they just take over. Smoked Lamb Chops bring all the firepower and none of the fuss, making vegetables feel unnecessary. You’ll see plates come back clean with nothing but a pile of bones left behind. The flavor does all the talking, and nobody interrupts it with a forkful of salad. These are what people come back for.
Get the Recipe: Smoked Lamb Chops
Grilled Smoked Pulled Pork
There’s no sauce, bun, or side that could outshine what this brings to the table. Grilled Smoked Pulled Pork hits hard with smoke and depth that makes everything else feel like decoration. You pile it high and skip the rest without thinking twice. This isn’t a supporting player—it’s the whole reason the grill was fired up. Plates get heavy, but not with sides.
Get the Recipe: Grilled Smoked Pulled Pork
Smoked Pulled Pork
No one asks where the sides went when this is in the middle of the plate. Smoked Pulled Pork has enough smoke and depth to carry dinner on its own. It’s the kind of dish that shuts down the table chatter until the tray is empty. Every bite is straight to the point, no filler. Serve it solo, and no one’s asking for slaw.
Get the Recipe: Smoked Pulled Pork
Traeger Smoked Chicken Spatchcock
When this lands on the table, all eyes lock in. Traeger Smoked Chicken Spatchcock isn’t just juicy and smoky—it’s a full meal with zero need for company. You’ll see people skipping over rolls and salad without hesitation. There’s no filler needed here, just meat and a lot of empty plates. The sides get served, but barely touched.
Get the Recipe: Traeger Smoked Chicken Spatchcock
Traeger Smoked Turkey
This bird doesn’t need stuffing, gravy, or cranberry anything. Traeger Smoked Turkey holds its own with enough rich smoke to stand alone on the plate. It’s the kind of main that makes even holiday spreads feel like they’re trying too hard. One slice in and nobody’s looking for sides anymore. They’re too busy going back for seconds.
Get the Recipe: Traeger Smoked Turkey
Smoked Queso
This isn’t something you dip into politely—it’s something you hover over like it owes you money. Smoked Queso has so much presence, it feels less like a side and more like the reason people showed up. Chips are just a delivery system. People treat this like a meal and defend their spot next to it. Spoons get involved, and plates are unnecessary.
Get the Recipe: Smoked Queso
Grilled Smoked Corn on the Cob
Corn’s never been accused of stealing the show—until now. Grilled Smoked Corn on the Cob shows up with char and attitude, taking over the plate before the main even lands. It’s bold enough to push everything else to the side, including the actual meat. People pile it high and forget what it was supposed to be served with. No butter required, no apologies made.
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Traeger Smoked Leg of Lamb
This is the kind of centerpiece that tells the sides to back off. Traeger Smoked Leg of Lamb comes out of the smoker ready to take full control of the table. It’s rich, it’s bold, and it makes every other dish look like filler. Once it’s sliced, all bets are off—nobody’s thinking about rice or vegetables. It’s all eyes on the meat.
Get the Recipe: Traeger Smoked Leg of Lamb
Smoked Carver Ham
Forget the glaze and skip the potatoes—this ham doesn’t need any help. Smoked Carver Ham brings enough flavor to make the entire spread feel like overkill. One slice in and the sides are officially just decoration. The smoke gives it all the character it needs, no dressing up required. It’s dinner, plain and simple.
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Smoked Thor’s Hammer
This is the kind of dish that doesn’t need an introduction—or a side dish. Smoked Thor’s Hammer drops on the table with so much presence, it practically clears space on its own. People gather around it like it’s a campfire, and nobody’s asking about salad. It’s not just dinner—it’s the main event. Every bite hits with full force.
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Smoked Blackberry Margarita
This drink brings more than just color to the table—it brings competition for the food. Smoked Blackberry Margarita isn’t just a cocktail, it’s a full part of the meal. It’s bold, smoky, and totally disinterested in playing second to anything. You sip it slow and still wish you had more. And no one’s asking for soda.
Get the Recipe: Smoked Blackberry Margarita
Smoked Eye of Round
This cut doesn’t need sides or sauces to carry the meal. Smoked Eye of Round delivers just enough flavor and smoke to shut down any conversation about what else to serve. It slices clean, eats fast, and leaves no room on the plate. People skip the starches and go straight for more. This one doesn’t share well, and that’s kind of the point.
Get the Recipe: Smoked Eye of Round
Smoked Beef Tenderloin
Everything else on the table takes a step back when this shows up. Smoked Beef Tenderloin holds the spotlight with a finish that makes every forkful count. You serve it for a crowd, but secretly hope there’s extra. Nobody touches the sides until this is gone. And once it’s gone, they’ll be looking for more—not bread.
Get the Recipe: Smoked Beef Tenderloin
Smoked Tomatoes
These don’t sit quietly as a garnish—they hold their own. Smoked Tomatoes bring enough punch to turn into the centerpiece without warning. One bite and suddenly they’re not just “something on the side.” They become the meal you didn’t expect, but can’t stop eating. Everything else plays catch-up.
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Smoked Jalapenos
These don’t sit quietly on the edge of the plate—they take over. Smoked Jalapenos bring just enough heat and smoke to make everyone forget the rest of the meal. They’re technically a side, but nobody’s treating them that way. Hands go straight for them before anything else. You’ll want a full tray, not a garnish.
Get the Recipe: Smoked Jalapenos
Smoked Gimlet Cocktail
This drink doesn’t just pair with the meal—it becomes part of the experience. Smoked Gimlet Cocktail has enough punch to hold its own on any table full of smoked meats. It’s not background refreshment—it’s right there in the spotlight. One sip in and the rest of the drink menu gets ignored. Even dessert feels unnecessary.
Get the Recipe: Smoked Gimlet Cocktail
Smoked Cream Cheese
This isn’t just something to spread—it’s something to hoard. Smoked Cream Cheese turns into a full-on event once it hits the board. Crackers become an afterthought, and it never lasts more than ten minutes. It might look like a starter, but it behaves like a full course. People aren’t snacking—they’re committing.
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Smoked Tomato Soup with Mascarpone
This isn’t your average bowl that needs a sandwich to feel complete. Smoked Tomato Soup with Mascarpone is rich, smoky, and satisfying enough to stand solo. You serve it thinking it’s a starter, but nobody asks for anything after. Each spoonful holds weight, and nobody’s looking around for crackers. Soup night just got serious.
Get the Recipe: Smoked Tomato Soup with Mascarpone
Smoked Berry Crisp
This isn’t a light finish or a polite sweet bite. Smoked Berry Crisp closes the meal like a headliner, not an afterthought. It’s rich, warm, and bold enough to follow a plate full of smoked meat. Forget whipped cream or anything else—it doesn’t need backup. The sides were forgotten hours ago, and now dessert gets the same treatment.
Get the Recipe: Smoked Berry Crisp